Parachute device



1933- s. o. c. KUHLEMANN 1 1,896,000

PARACHUTE DEVICE Original Filed Dec. 26, 1930 lwvervraag Patented Jan.- 31, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT orrlca S'I'IG OVE CHRISTIAN K UHLEKANN, OF STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN, ASSIGNOB TO CARL E.

LUNDKOLK AKTIEBOLAG, OF 'STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN PABACKUTE DEVICE Application fled 58, 1980, 801181110. 504,861, and in Finland August 11, 1880. Renewed Kay 10, 1932.

The present invention relates to parachutes of the automatic type and more particularly to parachutes adapted for combined manual and automatic control.

In parachutes, automatic release is effected by means of a developing or static line, one end of which is adapted to be secured to the aeroplane or the like so that on the parachutlst jumping out, the line is stretched and when fully extended releases a flap on the parachute pack whereby the parachute itself is released and subsequently opens. According to the present invention a'parachute is provided wherein the pack is closedby a flap which is adapted to be released automatic release is provided, wherein the pack is. closed by two flaps interconnected by a closing member separate from the pack itself, one of the flaps being adapted to be manually and the other to be automatically released, and wherein one of the flaps is formed as a pocket which is adapted to accommodate the developing or static line for automatic release. Preferably, the tension-ing means for'holding the developing line in regular order in the pocket comprise rubber. elastics which also serve for drawing back the pocketshaped flap when the parachute is released. 40

automatically releasable flap is preferably constructed with two walls-forming between them the pocket referred to, the upper wall being provided with an opening for inserting the developing or static line to be packed (sh own in the unfastened position).

In carrying the invention into eil'ect, thein the pocket. By means of the invention,

the wire or wires serving to hold the'automatically releasable flap closed can be 'con siderably shortened, whereby a correspond ing decrease of the opening time at automatic release is obtained, without running the risk of any unintentional release of the parachute. A further advantage of this arrangement .is that the strain on the developing or static line is considerably decreased and the closing wires can be so arranged that breakage of same is positively prevented.

The present invention ma be advantageously applied to the parac ute described and claimed in my co-pending patent applications and will be described in the following by way of example as a plied to a parachute according to that appllcation. For this description. reference will be made to the accompanying drawing in which,

Fig. 1 shows a front elevation of the packed parachute. r

Fig. -2 shows a section along the line V-V in Fig. 1 of the automatically releasable flap Fig. 3 shows the end of the developin or static line with the closing wires attac ed thereto. 3

Figs. 2 and 3 are drawn to a larger scale than ig. 1. The parachute according to this application, however, is only described insofar as is necessary for the understanding of the present invention.

Referring to the drawing, 10 is the parachute (pack proper in which the canopy and shrou lines are packed and which is closed by two flaps 20 and 20' firmly sewn to the pack 10. The flaps are held under tension by the rubber elastics '3 which are secured at one end of the free edge of the fla s and at the other end to the back of the pac in any known. manner, for instance, by hooks and eyes. The rubber elastics are arranged ;on the outside of the flaps and have a tendency to coil or roll up the same outwardly. The locking plate23 is arranged underneath the flaps,

theconical studs with transverse holes or the- According to this inve tion, the automati-' cally releasable flap consists of two parts or walls forming a. pocket. In the upper wall of the pocket is a circular opening 5, serving for inserting the developing or static line 31. The opening 5 is closed-by a piece of 16 fabric or the like maintained in a closed posi-- tion by a rupturable cord or the like. If instead of fabric, a resilient disk of for instance rubber or leather secured to the developing line is used, no rupturable cord will be neces- ZO sary in order to hold the opening closed which is an advantage. The rubber elastics 3 press the walls of the pocket together causing the developing line 31, packed therein in spiral form, to be held in regular order, and prevent- 26 ing it from being drawn out unintentionally even if the cord holding the opening 5.closed be broken. Securedto the upper surface of the ocket are a plurality of flexible tubes, for lnstance wire spirals 6. To the free end 30 of the developing or static line. 31 are secured a corresponding number of wires 7, for instance, piano wires, which are adapted to be threaded through the wire spirals 6 and enga e in the transverse holes in the studs 35 fter the line 31 has been packed in the pocket, the latter is closed by fixing the upper wall to the lower wall in any suitable manner. The manually releasable flap 20' is secured to the locking plate 23 in the same manner as the automatically releasable flap, and passing through the transverse holes in the corresponding studs 24, is awire which passes through a flexible tube 28 or the like, to the other end of which is attached the pull-ring serying for the manual release of the para chute.

The releasing operatlons are as follows:

When the parachute is to be released '50 manually the aviator pulls the pull-ring causing the wire passing through the tube 28 to be drawn out from the" holes in the corre+ sponding stud which coils u outwardly under .the action of '55 the rubber e astics 3. Simultaneously, the

20 together with the locking plate 23 fla coil'up in the opposite direction. In this manner, the pilot parachute and or the main I parachute itself becomes free and subsequent- V I a 1y opens.

When the parachute is to be released automatically, the end of the developing or static line 31 is secured to the aircraft. On the parachutist jumping out, firstly the rupturable cord and the fabric closing the opening 5 will 5 24, thus .releasing the flap 20 be broken. In case the opening is closed by a resilient disc, said disc glides out from the opening thus releasing the same. Then, as the distance between the parachutist and the aircraft increases, the developing line will be pulled out from the pocket. When the developing line is fully extended, the wires 7 secured to the end thereof are pulled out from the transverse holes in the corresponding studs 24, thus releasing the flap 20 which coils up outwardly under the action of the rubber elastics 3. Simultaneously, the other flap 20' together with the locking plate 23 coils up outwardly in the opposite direction. The parachute will then open in the manner described above.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letlease of said flap, said flap being of pocket form in order to accommodate said developing line and means combined with the pocketshaped flap to hold same under tension and maintain the developing line in regular packed order therein and prevent it from being unintentionally withdrawn.

2. A parachute device, comprising a canopy, shroud lines, a pack enclosing said canopy and shroud lines, a flap to close said pack,

a developing line for the automatic release of said flap, said flap being of pocket form in order to accommodate said developing line, said pocket being closed by .a resilient disc fastened to the developing line and means combined with the pocket-shaped flap to hold same under tension and maintain the developingline in regular packed order therein and prevent it from being unintentionally withdrawn.

3. A parachute device, comprising a canopy, shroud lines, a pack enclosing said canopy and shroud lines, two flaps to close said pack, means including a developing line for automatically releasing said parachute, one of said flaps being-of pocket form in which said developing line is adapted to be accommodated. and means combined with the pocketshaped flap to hold same under tension and maintain the developing line in regular packed order therein and prevent it from being unintentionally withdrawn.

4. A parachute device, comprising a canopy, shroud lines, a pack enclosing said canopy I flaps, means including a developing lineto be connected with theaircraft for automatically releasing the other flap whichhas the form of a pocket for taking up said developing line, and a common locking member for said flaps connected with same in such manner -that, when either flap is released, the other .fiap together with the locking member is also released. A V

5. A parachute device, comp a canopy, shroud lines, apackenclosmg sai canopy and shroud linesa flap to close said ack, a developing-line for the automatic re ease oi said flap, and tens'ioning means for maintaining said developing line in regular order on said flap.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name. a S'I'IG OVE CHRISTIAN [Um-Mill. 

